Covid-19: Scottburgh reacts
The Mail took to the streets earlier this week to find out how the Scottburgh community was reacting to the coronavirus.
CORONAVIRUS, or covid-19 is a respiratory disease which is affecting hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
The disease was first reported in China in December last year, and arrived in South Africa on March 5 when a 38-year-old man returned home from Italy with the virus.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronavirus starts with a fever, followed by a dry cough – similar to general flu symptoms.
ALSO READ : First man on South Coast tested positive for Covid-19 speaks out
In extreme cases, it can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, multiple organ failure and even death.
People with existing medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma and tuberculosis, as well as pregnant women and elderly folk, are at a higher risk of contracting this disease.
At the time of going to print, the South Coast region had two positive cases of coronavirus – both men, one (55) from Ramsgate and the other (42) from Shelley Beach.
“My daily routine has been affected because I usually finish work at 6pm and most shops or restaurants are forced to close by then. Even though we have to limit contact with people, I struggle with this because I work in a mall and deal with people on a daily basis. It’s also sad to see so many places of worship closing their doors as a precautionary measure.”
A statement shared across various social media platforms about one of the local high schools closing after a pupil’s parent was suspected of having the disease sparked concern.
However, the man self-isolated himself and his family and has since been cleared as not having been infected.
Last week, Umdoni Municipality announced the temporary closure of public facilities to contain the spread of of the disease.
Beaches and swimming pools, libraries, campsites and community halls will all remain closed until April 15.
“I came to this area from Pietermaritzburg recently, and I’ve seen a few locals not taking things seriously because a lot of people are still having social gatherings. Keep your distance from people and I advise everyone to sanitise as much as they can and to wear gloves and masks when necessary.”
“This period may be extended for the duration of the national state of disaster as declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa recently,” said Umdoni Municipality communications manager, Sphelele Cele.
“While this may be an inconvenience, especially over the Easter season, such measures are necessary as the health of the people is a priority.”
Mayor Thabani Dube also called upon councillors, traditional leaders, youth forums and others to unite and ensure that all that is humanly possible is done to combat the spread of this disease.
The Mail took to the streets earlier this week to find out how the Scottburgh community was reacting to the coronavirus.
“Coronavirus has taken business away for a lot of people. The foot count has decreased in many shopping centers because people are afraid to leave their homes. There is also a lot of strain on people who live with elderly folk as we do not want to bring the disease back home and possibly infect them.”
Most of those approached said they were fearful of being in public, while a handful said they were not too concerned, dismissing the virus as “just another type of flu”.
Juliana Overbeek, disagreed, saying that people needed to start taking coronavirus more seriously, while another person pointed out that it was in everyone’s best interests to adhere to social distancing to help curb the spread.
In order to keep yourself safe, it is advised that you take stringent precautionary measures, including washing your hands frequently, using hand sanitisers, avoiding touching your face – especially your mouth, nose and eyes – and keeping your distance from other people.
If you have coronavirus symptoms or suspect that you have been affected, contact the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) helpline at 0800 029 999.
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